act28side

Mint condition.

Can't believe your skills haven't rusted after not using 'em in years.

What's the matter? That was an invitation for you to start bragging. I mean, ain't nobody else in this town with your skillset.

Don't mind me. Just worried how Woodrow's doing...

...And that's number twenty-two. Now you're all tied up.

Next up is—

I never imagined these would be the circumstances we'd meet again in, Miss Brynley...

I'd recommend worrying about your responsibilities first.

Also, I've heard this bank keeps a series of secret numbers, two of which are held by you and this gentlemen here. I hope you're both willing to cooperate.

Now take a walk with us. If you're not feeling cooperative, well, guess I'll have to shoot you.

Pick up the pace!

Good evening, you two.

H-Helena?! Wh-What's the meaning of this?

You got nothing to fear, sir. I just wanted to ask you a few simple questions.

Will you tell us the passcode, or do we tie you to this door and blast you both to pieces? Your choice.

Friendly reminder: it is <i>not</i> a crime to reveal secrets under life-threatening duress.

You damn thugs—

Five.

Don't even think about it. You bastards don't deserve a single penny! You all deserve to rot out in the frontier!

Four.

You complacent idiots put all your eggs into the mine, yet still have the gall to whine to the bank after getting wiped out!

Three.

Nobody gives a damn about your rotten minerals. It's the era of high tech and automation now! Your only value to Columbia is to be thrown out to the frontier, the sooner the better!

Two.

You filthy, uneducated hicks! You idiots don't even have a damn clue what numbers mean! Serves you right for getting tricked!

One.

Sixfivefourseveneightfour!

Hah... Never seen anyone spit out a string of numbers that fast.

Okay, now that your boss has squealed, it's your turn, ma'am.

Give me the passcode, or die.

Hurry up and tell them already! Do you really want to die here?!

...Mr. Theremin, what would you even do with the money? Do you seriously think you can get rid of us and start over out on the frontier?

Of course you can't. We're everywhere. We will follow your footsteps, and find you no matter where you go.

The money you steal will smell as sweet as honey. And soon enough, our local associates will swarm all over you to eat it up.

And with the promise of a few extra benefits, they'll even personally deliver your heads to us on a silver platter—

What's the goddamn passcode?!

*cough*, *cough*...

Three... six... eight... six... five... four.

Go on, take it. You won't accomplish a thing, my friends.

Nothing will change. This tragedy is doomed to happen again and again—

Shut up.

Shut up? It is human nature to be greedy, and Mr. Theremin here is a prime example. Had he not been so eager to cling onto things that never belonged to him—

You shut your mouth!

How far you've fallen to mingle with this sorry lot, Miss Jessica Brynley.

Leone Theremin here could have left this place ages ago. Taken his children with him to Ironforge City, Nulaiteburgh, or Bunkerhill...

What kind of blasting engineer wouldn't be able earn enough to put food on the table? How else would he have ended up like, if not for his greed?

You...

Leone, she's right! The door's open!

Leone suddenly turns to look at Helena without saying a word. She is shocked to see the panic in his eyes.

It takes her a few moments to understand why.

Sorry, I meant... she gave us the right passcode.

I know... It's fine. I know.

If you manage to open the first three doors, congratulations. The last is merely an extra credit question. It appears the most complicated, but the solution is the simplest...

Blast it open.

Leone, how are the explosives?

Primed and ready.

Do it.

Like a precise surgical operation, the steel bars buried deep within the concrete are located with pinpoint accuracy and twisted until they break under the force of the explosion.

The fuel ignites under tremendous temperatures, bursting into layers upon layers of flames that gently wrap around the steel.

Then, at the moment it lets its guard down, all its defenses are stripped away.

The powerful backdraft caused by the explosion tears apart the stack of bank notes floating on the upper level, and the shredded paper is sent spiraling down the underground cavity. For a few moments, the snowfall here is heavier than it is outside.

The four people present are rendered speechless by this 'snow' that so many people could only dream of seeing.

Breathtaking...

...Lord almighty, I've never seen this much money in my life.

But it's also nothing compared to what the bank has bled from us.

No time for idle thoughts, folks. Start filling those bags. We got more than enough to keep us busy.

Don't just stand there gawking... What are you thinking about?

Nothing in particular. It's just...

This is the first time in my life I've ever wanted money so badly. It feels new... and exciting.

Hold on for ten more minutes. Blacksteel's convoy will be here soon.

That's not going to take us to the energy tower.

I'll stay behind... Y'all go on ahead.

How much time can you buy us?

How much time do you need?

At least... half an hour?

Woodrow draws his revolver from its holster and counts the bullets.

...An hour, maybe? You need time to set the explosives, too.

More than enough.

Woodrow...

Goodbye, Woodrow.

Hurry. Right, Jessica...

What is it, sir?

Thanks... Thanks for bringing it all the way here.

Woodrow fixes his hat and turns around to walk down the long street. Soon, his silhouette has disappeared into the night, leaving only a farewell ringing in the air.

Until we meet again, friends.

Sir, we've finished testing the propulsion equipment. The Engineering team is double checking the connection's structural integrity now.

Sir?

What's the ETA for our departure?

Everything should be ready by Wednesday.

Good... Very good.

P-Pardon me, but I have something to report.

I'll take my leave, then.

Alright...

What is it?

The team stationed on the plate has requested backup. They say a gang of robbers have blown open the bank's vault door and stolen all the reserve funds inside.

There are four of them... and they've all been identified. It's Mr. Bianchi and his friends, as well as...

As well as who?

As well as Miss Brynley.

...Huh.

Should we send anyone, considering that you just sent away all the security personnel stationed at the bank the other day...?